Post-Surgery Progress (One year later)

[grumpy]

Feeling oneself diminish over a relatively short period of time to the
point of not being able to pick up a penny you've dropped, nor
separate two pages within a book is a sobering and unsettling ordeal.

Above all of this was the fact of my inabilities to perform my normal
chores within the rabbitry beyond feeding and watering was a constant
concern. It got to the point that I seriously considered selling out
lock, stock, and barrel. Yet, I kept doggedly pacing myself forwards
with the hope and attitude that ''tomorrow'' would get better.

Yesterday....Tomorrow finally arrived.!!

After 10 long months I was able to put in a decent days' work.
I started putting my house/rabbitry in order. See Below:

From this:

To this: I got over half my rabbitry flamed, brushed, and cleaned.
I've got a crew (my 3 sons) scheduled in this next Sunday morning to clean
out the droppings and the place will be **** and span once again.

 

[MaggieJ]

:congratulations: Grumpy!

It was a long hard struggle for you, but you can't keep a good man down!

 

[Rabbitdog]

Wonderful! Great news!!!!
You're so popular that they wrote a song about you ....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egN8CjfQkxc

 

[alforddm]

That is great! I'm so glad that the surgery helped. :cheer1: :cheer1:

 

[grumpy]

It's been a long year, folks. I've not been on here very much at all, and I apologize for that.
There's that old saying: "The operation was a success, but the patient died."
LOL... that's not entirely true, but I've had to make some serious adjustments in the
rabbitry and in my day to day living.

In my original post, I was still recovering from surgery and felt pretty good about
the progress of recovering the sensitivity in both hands and arms. Well, shortly
thereafter, I noticed a drastic ''slow-down'' in that process. Unfortunately, it leveled
off at around 20% in my right arm and hand. But a little more in the left side, around 25%.
That's been it.... not a single percentage point more. If anything, I've noticed aberrations
that lead me to believe something else is beginning to give me problems. I've returned
to my neurosurgeon and he wants another MRI done on the 24th of this month. Then,
he'll have me with him when he analyzes the CD from the MRI.

IF nothing else is happening to a different portion of my neck,
then where I'm at..... is where I'll stay. It's not the best, but much better than nothing at all.
HOWEVER,...... if I've got some new issues, I'm going to have to make some decisions.
Another surgery? Or leave it 'as is'... and go on with living until it's over, one way or the other.
This problem's taken two-years out of my life... and it's not a helluva lot better. BUT, the
surgery 'stopped' and 'relieved' the pressure on my spinal cord. I'm thankful for that.

However, I've had to completely dismantle the rabbitry, and rebuild each and every
cage into a slope-fronted pen. I'm to a point to where I cannot raise my arms up
equal to, and level with my shoulders because the pain is too great and I have little
strength left in them when I do. I've lowered the cages and with the sloped fronts, I'm
able to work the rabbits reasonably well. BUT.... that's over 150 linear feet of caging
I've reworked.. and it's been a real pain..!!! :x :x

If he finds another source of a problem..... I've got another decision to make.
And.... I'm not completely sure which decision it will be. As it is right now, any
jolt or sudden movement (whiplash) could kill me or paralyze me for the rest of
my life.

Just thought some of you would like to know. Ya'll have a great day.

Grumpy

 

[MaggieJ]

I've been thinking about you, Grumpy, and wondering how you were doing. I'm sorry to hear your surgery didn't bring all the benefits that you had hoped for. Those are some tough decisions facing you. (((HUGS)))

At the back of my mind is that thought that you are a writer and will always have that as long as your mind and fingers work. I know since my arthritis got bad enough to be more than a nuisance, my writing has surged forward, as though just waiting for the chance to occupy a bigger place in my life. And, on the whole, I'm in a good place in my life right now because of it. Keep in mind, my friend, how fortunate we are to have that! :typing:

Keep us updated, please. Grumpy, and if you need to talk anytime, don't hesitate to send me a PM.

 

[faiththequeen]

Oh, Grumpy I'm so sorry that you've had to go through all this and haven't gotten much benefit and will have to make some tough choices. I don't know if you have in the past, but please get the advice of more than one neurosurgeon. Just in case I'm a praying person and you'll be in them.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Good to hear from You. I have missed Your thoughtful replies on various posts.
Hopefully some relief will be found. Adaptations will surely help.
Take care .

 

[alforddm]

I've missed seeing your replies around here as well. I hope you get some relief soon.